In the ever-evolving world of Dead by Daylight, Behaviour Interactive has crafted a roster of original Killers that rival iconic horror legends. Among them, The Hag—Lisa Sherwood—stands out as a tragic figure with a control-oriented playstyle. Introduced in the Of Flesh and Mud DLC chapter, she is not part of the base game and must be purchased individually or through the chapter. As of 2026, The Hag remains an intermediate-difficulty Killer who rewards strategic trap placement and map awareness. This guide covers her abilities, perks, add-ons, and effective strategies for players looking to master her.

The Hag's Powers: Blackened Catalyst and Claw

The Hag's basic attack is a simple swipe of her unnaturally elongated claw. Her special power, Blackened Catalyst, allows her to draw symbols on the ground that serve as traps. A trap triggers when a Survivor runs within three meters of it, though this range can be expanded with Add-Ons. When tripped, the trap creates a Mud Phantasm of The Hag that jumps up to scare players. The Phantasm wrenches Survivors' cameras toward it, screams, disorients them, emits a short Terror Radius, and keeps its eyes constantly trained on the Survivor.

During the five seconds in which the Phantasm Trap is tripped, The Hag can teleport to that trap and catch disoriented Survivors. She must be within 40 meters of the trap to teleport there. After teleporting, she is temporarily slowed for about one second, giving Survivors a slight head start. The Hag can have up to ten traps on the map at once, with each new one after that replacing the oldest. Survivors can destroy traps using the Flashlight item, either by bringing it into the Trial or finding one in a Chest. They need to find the trap's Aura with the light, then aim the Flashlight directly at the trap to destroy it. Destruction takes about 0.5 seconds.

The Hag's Unique Perks

The Hag has three unique Perks, all Hexes that light up Hex Totems around the map. Like other characters, once The Hag reaches levels 30, 35, and 40, her Perks begin to appear in the Bloodwebs of other Killers. Some of her personal Perks can work well with most Killers in the Dead by Daylight roster.

Perk	Effect
Hex: The Third Seal	The last 2/3/4 Survivors hit with the Killer's Basic Attack suffer from the Blindness Status Effect as long as the associated Hex Totem is standing.
Hex: Ruin	All Generators automatically regress at 100/150/200% of the normal Regression speed when they are not being repaired. This effect lasts as long as the associated Hex Totem is standing.
Hex: Devour Hope	Each time a Survivor is rescued from a Hook when the Killer is at least 24 meters away, Devour Hope receives one Token. At two Tokens, 10 seconds after hooking a Survivor, the Killer gains 3/4/5% Haste for 10 seconds. At three Tokens, Survivors suffer permanently from the Exposed Status Effect. At five Tokens, the Killer can kill Survivors by their own hand. These effects persist as long as the associated Hex Totem remains standing.

To counter these Perks, Survivors must find the associated Hex Totem and Cleanse it. Because The Hag can see the Auras of her own lit Totems, it is possible to rig these with Blackened Catalyst traps and prevent Survivors from cleansing to ensure The Hag's power remains strong.

Building The Hag: Perk Combinations and Strategies

Typically, many players who use The Hag choose to run Ruin and Devour Hope, and will transfer these to other Killers they play. They often replace The Third Seal with a Perk from another Killer. Because The Hag does not have a good way to counter Healing, Perks that target healing Survivors are good to prioritize. In addition, Perks that protect Hex Totems are a good idea.

Good alternative teachable Perks that work well with The Hag's control-based Killer abilities include:

Perk	Source Killer	Effect
A Nurse's Calling	The Nurse	The Auras of Survivors healing or being healed are revealed within a range of 20/24/28 meters.
Corrupt Intervention	The Plague	At the start of the Trial, the three Generators farthest from The Killer are blocked by The Entity for 80/100/120 seconds.
Franklin's Demise	The Cannibal	The Killer's Basic Attack makes Survivors drop their Items on impact. If not recovered within 150/120/90 seconds, the lost Item loses all charges. The Auras of lost items are revealed to the Killer in white, fading to red as time elapses.
Hex: Undying	The Blight	Survivors within four meters of any Dull Totem have their aura revealed. When another Hex Totem is cleansed, that Totem's Hex transfers to the Hex: Undying Totem, deactivating Hex: Undying but keeping the other Hex active.
Make Your Choice	The Pig	Each time a Survivor is rescued from the Hook when the Killer is at least 32 meters away, Make Your Choice activates and gives the rescuer the Exposed Status Effect for 40/50/60 seconds.
Monitor & Abuse	The Doctor	The Killer's base Terror Radius is increased by eight meters, but while not in a Chase, their Terror Radius is reduced by 16 meters, and Field of View is increased by 3/5/10. Field of View effects do not stack.
Save the Best for Last	The Shape	Each time the Killer hits a Survivor other than the Obsession with a Basic Attack, Save the Best for Last gains one Token (up to eight Tokens). The Killer gains a stackable 5% cooldown reduction on successful attacks per Token, up to a maximum of 40%. Hitting the Obsession with a Basic Attack causes Save the Best for Last to lose 4/3/2 Tokens.

Players can also use any standard meta Perks when playing as The Hag, like Hex: No One Escapes Death and Tinkerer. They will want to experiment with the options they have available and find the build that works best for them.

Add-Ons and Optimization

Dead by Daylight players can use Add-Ons found in The Hag's personal Bloodweb to increase her power. The best options increase the range from which Survivors can trigger traps and The Hag's teleportation range. These include:

• Dried Cicada: Considerably increases maximum Teleportation range.

• Bloodied Mud: Considerably increases Phantasm Trap Trigger range.

• Rusty Shackles: Triggered traps do not spawn a Phantasm and don't give an indication of having been triggered.

• Grandma's Heart: The Hag's Terror Radius is reduced to zero, and the Phantasm Trap's fake Terror Radius is increased to 16 meters.

• Mint Rag: Grants The Hag the ability to teleport to any untriggered Phantasm Trap on the map at will, with a cooldown of 15 seconds between teleports.

Killers are limited to whatever items appear randomly in their Bloodweb, so it is a good idea to experiment with different Add-Ons to find a combination that works best for the player's preferred style and selected Perks. Generally, though The Hag has some Add-Ons that eliminate the ability to Teleport while granting other abilities, it is best to avoid these until players are at least comfortable using her.

Strategies and Tips for 2026

The Hag is an intermediate-difficulty Killer who may be slightly more difficult for newcomers to get comfortable using. Here are some strategies to maximize her potential:

• 🎯 Trap key objectives: Place traps near Generators, Hex Totems, and choke points to monitor Survivor movements and hold down objectives.

• 👁️ Use traps for information: A triggered trap not only disorients Survivors but also gives The Hag a chance to teleport and apply pressure.

• 🛡️ Protect Hex Totems: Rig your lit Totems with traps to prevent Survivors from cleansing them, keeping your Hex Perks active.

• 🔦 Counter Flashlights: Patrol your traps or use Rusty Shackles to make traps invisible when triggered, reducing the effectiveness of Flashlight destruction.

• ⏳ Manage trap limit: With a maximum of ten traps, replace older ones strategically to maintain map coverage.

• ⚡ Time your teleport: Wait for the Survivor to be disoriented by the Phantasm before teleporting to maximize your chance of landing a hit.

• 🧩 Complement with perks: Use Corrupt Intervention for early-game slowdown, A Nurse's Calling for healing detection, and Hex: Undying to protect your Hexes.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Strong map control with traps	No anti-loop power
Teleportation for surprise attacks	Limited mobility without traps
Excellent Hex Perks	Vulnerable to Flashlight destruction
Good information gathering	Temporary slow after teleporting

In 2026, The Hag remains a rewarding Killer for those who invest time in trap placement and strategic thinking. Her unique Hex Perks—especially Ruin and Devour Hope—continue to be valuable across the roster. By experimenting with perk combinations and Add-Ons, players can tailor The Hag to their preferred playstyle and dominate the Trial. Whether you are a newcomer or a veteran, mastering The Hag's control-based abilities will add a sinister edge to your Killer arsenal.

According to coverage from GamesIndustry.biz, long-term multiplayer success often depends on how well a title supports distinct playstyles and evolving balance, which fits The Hag’s place in Dead by Daylight as a Killer built around territorial pressure, information control, and perk synergy rather than raw chase speed. That broader industry perspective helps explain why trap-focused characters like The Hag continue to stay relevant for experienced players who value planning, map denial, and adaptation across shifting metas.